Enter the World of bestselling publishing, filled with intrigue, power, betrayal, ambition and greed. Yet for Aislinn Marchánt, it represents the attainment of a life’s dream, a point of destiny, and mystery as she is caught up in a storm that is the House of Kane. "Simultaneously wise and poignant, exotic and suspenseful, The House of Kane is a fascinating story of loyalty, treachery and the power of destiny. With an insider's view into the world of high stakes publishing, Barbara Casey weaves a masterful story that haunts the reader long after the final page". —Nancy Steinbeck Author of The Other Side of Life with John Steinbeck "Barbara Casey’s The House of Kane is a touchingly tender love story set in an intrigue-riddled publishing industry. Her characters are interesting and varied. Her story is refreshing and engagingly told. Aspiring writers will want to read The House of Kane to tap her wisdom about getting into print." —John DeDakis CNN Senior Copy Editor/Author of The Lark Chadwick Mysteries
Barbara Casey is the author of ten award-winning novels and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. She lives on a mountain in northwest Georgia with her three cats who adopted her.
The House of Kane was more so a novel I picked up on a whim. I’m always curious about writing and publishing houses, especially as I want to delve into the publishing community as a career path in my future. That was the main reason I agreed to read this one. The cover wasn’t appealing to me at all really – but I beg of you, please don’t judge this book according to its cover. Because it was much, much more than that and actually quite a good read.
Anyone who likes writing may appreciate this novel because you get to see the ins and outs of the publishing houses and what it can be like to write and pursue writing. I have done my own research into what gets a manuscript into the publishing houses but I was a bit unaware of the amount of people who end up reading your script – and it can still get rejected even if many people except the top one thought it held promise. The saddest thing is, when you get a rejection you never know how far your novel made it into this progress.
This novel is a pretty hard one for me to pin-point when it comes to genre. I would settle for it being a mystery combined with a gentle thriller. There is definitely rising suspense in the novel towards a problem that has been accumulating in pieces throughout the novel and involving different characters… but for me it was the characters that made the novel for me. And because of the wide spread point of views (this makes it sound like quite a lot but there weren’t that many) you get to know some things other characters don’t and that is what makes the novel more interesting. The reader has a lot more knowledge than the characters do. It was interesting seeing this reverse. The mystery was intriguing because we knew everything and had to root for the characters discovering it in their own time, and hopefully not before it became too late. So maybe it wasn’t the shocking plot twist type, but it was incredibly engaging.
As I said before, the characters were what made it for me. We get to know quite a bit about each of their lives, and as it is told in third person, about the three main characters. The secondary characters are also developed very well with enough depth that the focus doesn’t shift to them, but I still ended up caring about them quite a lot. In fact, it was perfect. By the end of the novel it felt like all the characters were my good friends – I wanted them all to have good endings and I didn’t want to part with a single one.
The romance was soft, but it was there. It was mostly strung out in one point of view, and wasn’t the main focus of the novel. I knew which point of view would be most centered on the romance, so you could prepare yourself for it. I liked that. I liked how slow and gentle and meaningful it was. The main character did have to make a choice, but it was a fair one and it wasn’t like… I don’t know – Team Edward or Team Jacob or something like that. It was more so she had two options available to her and she had to make a choice based on pretty good reasons too. And in case you were thinking, no, the romance point of view is not Aislinn’s. In fact, it’s one of the male main characters. Which was a nice change as well.
I’ll just say it one last time… please don’t judge this one based on the cover! It’s a worthwhile read, especially if you like thrillers but them not being too intense and scary in any way.
What a tale for readers as it is woven with the publishing industry.
Aislinn is a talented writer/editor and knows what will sell books, that is why she is sought out by many aspiring authors. I liked how her character was kind about her suggested rewrites and how many authors took it to heart and realized that their book was going to be so much better with those changes.
Caldwell Kane is the owner of a publishing house, yet books that were submitted to them are being published by a rival house. How is this happening? He asks Aislinn for her help in getting to the bottom of this mystery. But he doesn't expect to fall in love with her along the way.
The book has many twists and turns, mystery and romance, deceit and truth. There are many bible quotes in the book so I'm not sure if it is meant to fall somewhere in the Christian book genre.
The characters are all well developed and each one brings depth to the book. Lottie, the next door neighbor, that lost her forbidden love when she was 16. It has haunted her all these years and writing a book about her father was very cathartic for her. Richard, Aislinn's ex-husband, is still in love with her but realizes that his life as a doctor was all encompassing and didn't leave much time for his home life and Aislinn. It takes a medical issue for him to understand what he has lost. Charles, a homeless vet that has some mental issues, but has a support system around him that helps him out however they can without infringing on his pride.
There are characters that learn some life lessons too, but you have to read the book to find out!
One thing I didn't really understand was the story line of Margaret Peters - I'm not sure this added much to the book, but perhaps others will think differently. There is another character that just disappears at the end (can't reveal too much!) but it would have been nice to see that story line resolved.
The Story Aislinn receives a phone call that will change her life. She is hired by the publisher House of Kane to find out why the submissions to their agency are being published by another publisher. Aislinn works through the mystery of the publishing house. Along the way there is romance and you see how the publishing world works.
What I Think Of The Book I enjoyed reading this book. I think the thing I liked about it most was that it introduced me to the world of publishing. It was kind of a mystery to me before. But the author painted a picture of how it works. It accomplished one of the great things about reading. It introduced me to a new world. The love story in the book was also a nice addition to the story.
Who Should Read This Book
If you are a writer who has submitted books to an agency you will probably enjoy this book. I like how the author took a subject she is very familiar with and created a story around it. If you enjoy love stories and mysteries you will probably enjoy this book too. And after reading this book I want to check out some of her other books.
Disclaimer I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, but the opinions are all mine.
The House of Kane is a book about the publishing business and I enjoyed reading how things work. This book grabbed me into story from the very beginning and held my interest throughout until the very last page. I really could have read even more!
This was a quick read mainly because I didn't want to put it down. I loved Aislinn and would love to read a sequel about the budding romance between her and Caldwell. But this book isn't all about romance. There is a mystery, suspense, betrayal in the publishing family, deceit, and suspense. Just an all around entertaining read.
Each chapter opened with a quote which was an interesting touch since I like to collect quotes. I loved this book and what a WOW surprise in the final pages. It came out of blue and made this book an even sweeter read! No spoiler from me concerning that but this is a book you will want to read.
I haven't ever read any books by this author before but found her writing to be a delightful read. Looking forward to reading more of her books.
I received a free ecopy of this book for an honest review.
I have read several books by Barbara Casey and I like her writing style. The House of Kane is my favorite book by her so far.
The House of Kane is about the publishing industry and so much more. There are so many intriguing relationships and the main character, Aislinn, is involved in or affected by all of them.
I found several of the characters endearing. Aislinn’s dog, her next door neighbor, and Caldwell Kane are just a few of the characters that were unusual in their own ways and all were fun to read about.
I liked how there were several stories within this book that all tied into each other by the end. The House of Kane is a mystery with a little romance and a touch of supernatural. I definitely recommend it but be ready because you won’t want to put it down.
I had already read a work from Barbara Casey, and loved her writing style very much. That, added to the intriguing summary of The House Of Kane, I was only too eager to begin reading. I barely noticed the beautiful cover as I delved into the book, eager to start reading the story which showed much promise.
REVIEW:
Sometimes in life, a single word, letter or phone call has the potential to change one's life completely, unraveling a lot of things and uncovering truths about hitherto hidden lives. Aislinn Marchant receives a call from Kane Publishing House, offering a job in house and something more than that. Her help is required to find the mystery behind how manuscripts that keep missing from the Kane house end up being published by rivals. When she could not deny the request from the charismatic Caldwell Kane, she decides to investigate and ends up uncovering a lot about her ex husband, with whom she shares a good relationship and some more people. Further reasearch leads her to finally find out her true connection with Kane. Aislinn gets more than she is prepared for.
Page after page, the story draws the reader in, casually luring them into the book with the exemplary story telling and amazing twists and turns. Starting from the prologue to the last line, the book is a pleasure to read, with not a single slackening chapter. The language is great and the story is written with a depth that makes it much more memorable than normal books of this genre. The author weaves a story so carefully, with various characters, each having their own level of importance, and all their individual stories woven by different threads into one big picture. The level of thought that has gone behind developing the plot makes this book an interesting read.
The author's experience in the publishing world has clearly reflected on the detailing in the story, something that could be given only by someone who knows their way around the place. Though the content of the story is probably wholly fiction, the theme, setting and scenarios are amazingly scripted, with attention to every little detail. The story itself related with me because I have seen, to some extent, the other side of the publishing industry and I could understand some of the underlying plots and messages form in the story much before they were revealed. Despite having some inside information, most of the things were new to me, and my interest in the story never waned. The romance angle is only a bit of the story, not taking the focus away from the intrigue and mystery of the main plot, but still adding substance to the story. Overall, I take back a lot from this book, both from the story and from the writing.
WHAT I LIKED:
•The quotes at the beginning of each chapter - a rare collection of gems unto themselves. •The insights into the other side of publishing houses was personally helpful to me.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:
•Certain stories seem tangents and additions that do not further the plot •One or two loose ends and abrupt discontinuation of a character line
VERDICT:
Go for this - for the amazing story and to know how one of the largest entertainment industries works.
Having read this writer’s books before, I knew I could trust her to cook up a well scripted story. The intriguing summary and an equally intriguing yet beautiful cover tempted me to pick up the book.
Aislinn, the talented editor/writer receives a call from Caldwell Kane who owns and runs The Kane publishing company. He wants her to help him out as a consultant in sieving through the right manuscripts as the publishing house hasn’t published a bestseller in a while. That call, eventually ends up changer her life and love.
The writing unquestionably is too good. Being a tiny little part of the publishing industry, I could relate with the premise of the book. However, it was interesting to see a very detailed picture of the industry both in a positive and a negative light. The characterization was good enough but I felt Richard’s character (Aislinn’s ex-husband) could have either got a better closure or could have been sketched out differently. The story as such was layered beautiful and it felt like unwrapping a gift layer by layer. In fact, at one point, the story made me wonder as to how just single phone call had the potential to change a person’s life. It’s known to happen though. The story was paced evenly with proper twists and turns added at the right place. Of course, Lottie Howard’s story was a bit predictable, but that didn’t matter. Nothing like knowing that you hunch came true. It is obvious from the plot and the premise that the writer has put to use her own experience as a writer in making an interesting story.
MY SAY: An interesting insight into the publishing industry fictionalized properly. RATING: 4/5
Missing submissions, fierce competition, lies and deceit are found throughout this fantastic novel by Barbara Casey. This novel showed an inside look at the publishing world while mixing mystery, deceit and a tad bit of romance that makes you not want to put the book down (literally could not stop reading this book!). Not to mention, I was totally jealous of her awesome job!
Aislinn uncovers quite a mystery at Kane Publishing house not to mention the underlying stories of her ex-husband, new boss, her neighbour and her own novel - it was quite an exciting time for Aislinn! While the mystery seems a bit obvious half way through, the twist on it was unbelievable and was not what I was expecting! It was very impressive the way the characters were tied into the story (especially one that you thought was just there to add a little extra into the story but played a role in the grand plot).
I loved not only the plot (which is very unique and one of the best parts of this book) but also the hints of a romance that could develop between Aislinn and Caldwell Kane. While an age difference exists and Aislinn does still have a strong relationship with her ex husband, a romance between these two would be perfect. Their personalities and interests compliment each other perfectly.
The House of Kane is a well thought out, written novel that will keep you guessing and reading to the last minute. You will fall in love with the characters, their connections and ties to the story. I loved every moment of this novel.
In this realistic fiction novel, which author Barbara Casey dedicates to various individuals such as her parents, the publication world proves quite complex, with aspiring writer Aislinn Marchánt, former wife of surgeon Robert, getting entangled in the web of publishing. The prologue and main chapters each open with a quotation from individuals of various professions, such as authors Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, not to mention British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. As an aspiring writer himself, this reviewer could definitely relate with Aislinn, given that her writing ideas, such as a girl’s friendship with a dragon, are shot down, and appreciated this intriguing yarn, recommended especially to fledgling authors seeking an insight, even if fictitious, into the world of publishing.
What a beautiful story of frustration, betrayal, fortune and second chance of love.
This book is so intense. It started slowly for me at first but once the phase started, the book is hard to put it down. It is a beautiful story of frustration, betrayal, fortune, and second chance of love.
In reality a betrayal does not work. You always fail if you are doing it. You will never be successful. Second chance of love is my favorite lesson from The House Of Kane among fortune and triumph. You will fall in-love with this book as you go along chases the culprit.
The story is so amazing. I really loved reading this book. I LOVED that there is a quote in each chapters. It gives us deeper understanding how author really is. We can feel their frustration, failure and triumph as they write a book.
Disclosure:
I received a paperback copy of the book in exchange of my honest review.
The House of Kane is an fascinating glance into the world of publishing. Aislinn, a successful and sought after writer and editor, receives a mysterious phone call from a well respected publisher. Her curiosity piqued, she agrees to go to New York. Her life will never be the same.
The novel is well-written with excellent character development including those of the secondary characters. Their seemingly ordinary lives begin to interweave with that of Aislinn's and several unexpected plot twists and surprises keep you wondering how these connections will play out.
I don't want to give away any clues to the story but suffice it to say that this was a delightful mystery / romance / thriller that had me reading non-stop until the last page.